2.25pm BST: The SNP's Tommy Sheppard complains that the call for an early election is "a blatant abuse of parliamentary procedure for party political gain”, adding that an “authoritarian" Prime Minister wants to "silence dissent".

2.20pm BST: Labour veteran Dennis Skinner turns to the history books to warn against making this an election based around Brexit.

"“The nearest parallel is the election of 1974 when Ted Heath, the then PM decided on a very narrow argument: that the miners were on strike and it would be about who rules the country. Most eletions are about a lot of things; this one was about a specific thing.

"Can I say to my Honorable Friend that what happened in respect is the Labour party finished up with the largest number of seats”.

2.05pm BST: Labour's David Winnick is unimpressed by the Prime Minister's move.

The veteran MP says: "This motion that is before is murky, completely opportunist and certainly it reflects badly on the Prime Minister.

"This motion and this general election which is coming – purely for opportunistic reasons – will increase that cynical feeling and that is very damaging indeed to the democratic process."

The DUP's Nigel Dodds says this snap election is an opportunity to reject Sinn Fein's "Marxist-Leninist" republicanism and protect the Union.

Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams takes aim at Theresa May’s U-turn on an election: "The record is about as straight as the legendary European Union banana."

1.50pm BST: SNP MPs are challenging Farron to rule out a coalition with the Tories – the Lib Dem leader ducks the question.

Tim Farron is asked by Tory MP Nigel Evans whether he believes being homosexual is a sin.

Mr Farron responds: "I do not."

The Lib Dem leader had dodged the question when quizzed on Channel 4 last night.

1.45pm BST: Lib Dem leader Tim Farron is up in the Commons now, and he takes a swipe at former PM David Cameron.

“Given that we are in this mess in one sense as a country because he put party before country when he did, it is hardly surprising that the Prime Minister should follow him and indeed put party before country once again.”

Mr Farron says Theresa May was unable to resist “doing the political equivalent of taking candy from a baby” and calling an election against the Labour party.

He goes on to say that the Prime Minister "expects a coronation, not a contest. There is only one route to the PM losing this election, and it is a Liberal Democrat route."

1.40pm BST: Deputy SNP leader Angus Robertson is up. Playing the 'Tories v SNP' narrative, he says: “While she thinks that she can get away with all of this against the Labour party in England, she will not get away with this in Scotland.”

Mr Robertson returns to the burning question of the PM's refusal to participate in TV debates. He says it's "unsustainable" in the 21st century digital era that a Prime Minister could be "empty chaired".

Tory MP Nigel Evans repeats his support for the PM saying: “I hope that the PM does go head to head with the leaders of the other parties. It’s quite simple, Mr Speaker, she would floor them all.”

Mr Robertson concludes by looking forward to the SNP vs Conservative fight in Scotland – his colleagues give him a round of applause.

SNP MPs are expected to abstain this afternoon – this move will amount to a vote against.

1.30pm BST: Former Tory minister Sir Desmond Swayne is the first backbencher up. He says that the PM has, for a second time, committed a u-turn on something he has just defended in the Forest Journal. He's been making the case to his constituents that an early election would not be happening.

He then congratulates Labour benches on being "turkeys voting for Christmas" – almost daring Labour not to back the motion.

In a colourful contribution, Mr Swayne says he has undergone a conversion since backing all of Theresa May's competitors for the Conservative leadership.

“I have become her greatest fan and, as my constituents recognise and tell me continually, she is doing magnificently and may she long continue to do so.”

PMQs live images Wed, April 19, 2017

Theresa May arrived in the Commons for PMQs to a roar of applause from her Conservative colleagues

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'Labour party will be going into the election pledging to spend £5billion extra’

1.25pm BST: The Labour leader targets Conservative MPs facing expenses charges, questioning the Prime Minister if her real intention behind an early election is down to fears of losing backbenchers due to the election expenses investigation.

He points out that the PM has failed to mention it.

Mr Corbyn accuses the Prime Minister of paining herself as a "prisoner of the Lib Dems.

"There are nine of them and they managed to vote three ways on Article 50 so it’s obviously a very serious threat indeed."